140 GEESE 



breast. If geese have time, they cover their nests with down before leav- 

 ing them, and unless the gulls see the eggs, they rarely trouble to investi- 

 gate further. ... It was not rare to see a herring gull's and a goose's 

 nest within a few yards of each other. In this case there appeared to be 

 a truce between the two parties; the gulls never attempted to take the 

 goose eggs, and the geese did not try to drive away the gulls" (Manning, 

 1942). 



"When alarmed at the nest, both male and female fly off close to- 

 gether, 'honk' loudly, circle the locality several times and then usually 

 come down at a distance of 100 to 200 yards from the nest. . . . Actions 

 of individuals, however, about the nest varied. Some remained sitting on 

 the eggs until rather closely approached, others departed long before- 

 hand, obviously more wary by nature. All would walk or fly to some 

 little distance, whereupon they would anxiously strut about the tundra 

 to watch developments. They invariably 'honk' noisily while an intruder 

 is in the vicinity, and give vent to their feelings by repeatedly taking to 

 the air in wide circles about the nest." 



"The young of the Blue Goose are precocial and leave the nest 

 shortly after hatching. They are exceedingly active and run with sur- 

 prising rapidity and endurance when only a day or two old." As speci- 

 mens of these were required, a landing was made by Soper's party near a 

 point where a pair of Blue Geese were observed with five young. By the 

 time the canoe had beached, the young goslings had run a distance of 

 nearly 200 yards. The pursuers plunged along after them with difficulty 

 in yielding moss and mud, and through shallow pools but did not over- 

 take them until they had covered nearly half a mile. "The young were 

 taken uninjured with the idea of bringing them out to civilization alive 

 for a study of their growth and plumage change." They soon became 

 very friendly and obviously enjoyed the warming effect of handling and 

 "brooding" next to the body. The experiment of keeping them alive for 

 transport to Ottawa quickly came to a tragic end; notwithstanding all 

 precautions for their care, they "became sluggish and apathetic on the 

 third morning after capture, and all died within a few hours of each 

 other." 



The instinct of fear in young geese is not "so much hereditary as ac- 

 quired by example after hatching. At a very early age it is true that the 

 young, when accompanied by the parents, are wild and make frantic 

 efforts to escape from man. On the other hand, a few hours of associa- 

 tion with the latter serve to Cjuiet all apprehension, when they become 

 exceedingly fearless and trusting. Strayed young, when taken into camp, 

 soon lose their fear, quickly settle into a mood of complete contentment, 

 and thoroughly enjoy being 'cupped' in the hands where the warmth 

 soon lulls them to sleep. When released they would frequently make an 

 effort to return to one's hands for a repetition of the comfort which they 

 had lately enjoyed." 



"Downy Blue Geese feed generously and drink freely and fre- 

 quently; the latter is indulged in at the water's edge and while swim- 



